As The Historic Partnership Between Tiger Woods And Nike Ends, Here's a Look Back At Most Pivotal Moments
One of the longest and most lucrative sports partnerships in history has come to an end. World-famous golfer Tiger Woods and Nike have officially ended their 27-year-long iconic partnership. Mark Steinberg, Woods’s longtime agent, told CNBC that the superstar golfer made a business decision to not renew his contract with Nike. Woods, who is a 15-time major winner, announced it on social media platform X.
The announcement came after months of speculation that the partnership would end. Nike also confirmed the news on their Instagram handle sharing a picture of Woods in his iconic red polo, with the text, “It was a hell of a round, Tiger”
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Here’s A Look at The Timeline Of The Iconic Partnership Of Tiger Woods And Nike
1996: The Beginning of the Tiger Woods-Nike Partnership and the “Hello World” Press Conference
Woods was only 19 years old when he signed a major deal with the American sportswear giant, ahead of his pro debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open. Nike recognized his potential and offered him a five-year contract worth $40 million, which was staggering for a golfer at the time. Nike already had a noteworthy presence in golf and the brand capitalized on the highly anticipated debut of the rising golfer. Woods then made his debut at the event, famously announcing, “Hello, world,” in the press conference.
1998: Debut of Yin Yang Nike gear
In 1998, Woods and Nike designed the Yin Yang logo for his gear as symbolism between Woods' balance of physical and mental gamesmanship. This also honored Woods' Eastern and Western heritage and the logo became an iconography of the first-ever product line from Woods and Nike.
Decades later in 2020, ahead of the U.S. Open, Nike introduced a revamped version of the Yin Yang logo on the limited edition Nike "Tiger Slam" polo, with a red and black color scheme.
2001: The record-breaking extension and the debut of the TW logo
After winning his first major at the 1997 Master, Woods’ original five-year contract ended. He then signed a record-breaking extension with Nike for another five years and per a Golf Digest report, the deal was reportedly worth $100 million. This made Woods one of the highest-paid athletes in the world. In the same year, Woods started playing Nike golf clubs, and the "TW" franchise was subsequently introduced.
Woods then switched to Swoosh golf clubs in 2001 and used them until 2016, when Nikе exited the golf equipment business.
2003: Introduction of the Iconic Red Mockneck
The mock neck collar style of Woods’ gold attire has been iconic since 2003 when he first wore the mock turtleneck style golf shirt at the Buick Invitational. At the time it sparked a debate on the appropriateness of the collar-style on the golf course but Woods continued to wear it, including during his win at the Masters in 2005 and again in 2019. The shirt was so popular that it reportedly sold out on the Nike website each time Woods wore it.
2006: Another historic extеnsion
Through the years, the 47-year-old superstar maintained his supremacy in the golf world, winning six majors from 2002 to 2006. After 10 years of partnership, Woods and Nike signed a seven-year agreement which was estimated to pay around $20-$40 million per year. This reflected his status as the face of the brand reflecting his status as the face of the brand.
2013: Another Extension and the TW 13 shoe debut
In 2009, Woods had a difficult year as he went through a very public divorce with his then-wife, Elin Nordegren. After details of his personal life came out, he lost several sponsors, but Nike stood steady by him. The brand even offered him another contract in 2013, which was reportedly worth about $200 million.
In the same year, after 17 years into the partnership, The Nike Tiger Woods '13 golf shoe was launched. The first-of-its-kind shoe, The TW 13 was a high-performance, foot-conforming shoe that converted the Nike Free Run technology into a ready-to-wear on-course footwear. The iconic shoe was reshaped and introduced a new style silhouette with a high ankle profile and thick midsole.
2018: PGA Championship walk-up
En route his final-round tee time at the 2018 PGA Championship, Woods rocked up in another iconic outfit -- a red blade collar polo and a black cap. Woods had won his 15th major already and he finished a stunning second-place at the event.
2023: The End of The Tiger Woods-Nike Era
While the announcement of the end of the Woods and Nike partnership was made in January 2024, the partnership effectively concluded at the end of 2023. In the 27-year-long partnership, the 5-time Masters winner earned approximately $500 million from the sports giant, as per CNBC. As of yet, there is no word on Woods’ plans for a future endorsement. However, rumors suggest that he may join the Swiss brand ‘On Running’ which took on Roger Federer in 2019, after the legendary tennis player left Nike.
